1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stamp assembly and to a stamp unit including the stamp assembly and a thermal perforation device. The stamp assembly has a print face of heat-sensitive stencil paper in which the thermal perforation device forms perforations.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, various kinds of stamps having a print face formed of rubber have been used to print company names, addresses, or other character trains on a paper surface. These types of stamps are individually made to order and so are expensive and a user must wait for a long time to receive the stamp after ordering.
There has been known a method of using infrared radiation or a thermal head to perforate a predetermined pattern in a heat-sensitive stencil paper. Character trains, diagrams, marks, and the like corresponding to the predetermined pattern can be printed by transmitting ink through this group of perforations and onto an object to be printed with the pattern.
Japanese Utility Model Application (KOKAI) No. HEI-5-74833 describes an ink stencil print plate for use instead of stamps having a print face formed from rubber. The ink stencil print plate includes basically an ink-impregnated member impregnated with ink; a frame framing the ink-impregnated member; a synthetic resin film adhered to one surface of the ink-impregnated member and the frame; and a heat-sensitive stencil paper adhered to the other side of the ink-impregnated member and the frame. A detachable film separator is disposed between the ink-impregnated member and the heat-sensitive stencil plate.
The stencil print plate is adhesively attached, via a cushion member, to the lower surface of a grip. Infrared irradiation or a thermal head is used to perforate the heat-sensitive stencil paper with a dot pattern having a desired pattern, such as a character train. A stamp having the grip and the heat-sensitive stencil plate is thus produced. As with a normal rubber stamp, the desired pattern, such as a character train, can be printed on a sheet many times. Hereafter this stamp employing a stencil print plate will be referred to as a stamp assembly.
The desired pattern, such as a character train, is perforated in the heat-sensitive stencil paper of the heat-sensitive stencil plate using a thermal perforation device including a thermal head and a guide bar. The grip of the stamp assembly is formed with a guide hole through which guide bar is inserted to mount the stamp assembly to the thermal perforation device.